Container-closure disk and the production and application thereof



Jan. 31, 1928.

w. L. WRIGHT ET AL CONTAINER CLOSURE DISK AND THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION THEREOF Filed March 26 n u M a I u n n m I n W n r w a n n n m n Patented Jan Idl, lfifiti.

UNITED STATES res/s85 PATENT OFFICE.

'WILB'UR L. WEIGHT AND LEE PIERCE, 01? FULTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOES TO OSW'EGDFALLS CQRIPORATIQN, (3F FULTGN', NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTAINER-CLOSUZEEE D1151? AND TIE-Ell PIRGDUCTIQN .EilbID .lhllPLICATION THEREOF.

Application filed March 28, 1926.

This invention relates to fibrous material hood cap disks that are rendered inoldable on the heads of. containers and selifsecuring under said heads by the presence of a sui able binder carried by, at least the securing portions of, the annular shirts of such caps, and to the production and applici i-tion therev or, and specifically the instant invention involves a group of such caps forming; a multicap unit or package as a new article of 1nan ufacture; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light oi the follow-- ing er iplanation oi the n hod involved and o1 accompanying drawings that illustrate what we now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of our invention from among other forms and ar rangremenls within the spirit and scope of the invention.

An object oi. the invention is to provide an exceedingly advantageous and economical block or package of binder-carrying hood cap disks and a method of producing the same and of applying disks therefrom.

Another object oi the invention to pro vide improvements in hood cap disks equipped with binder at the annular secure ingportions thereof and to produce and ap ply the same. i

With this and other objects in View, the invention consists in a certain novel method and in structural. features, arrangements or combinations as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

Referring; to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof:---.

l is a view in side elevation of a group of loosely nested flexible sheet fil3lOllS}]1&- terial flaring skirt hood cap disks before application of the binder thereto.

File. .2 is a side elevation of a steel; oi?

united hood cap disks forming a bioclt or article of menutorture embodying); the instant invention.

Fig; 3 shows a stack of united disks in longitudinal section, the spacing; between the dislis and the thickness or itity of binder being eragpointed Fig. 1 shows in top plan ncldable cap separated from the group of 23. i

Fig. shows side elevation, th cap noided and seton the container headw The hoodcap o.=. 4i; and 5 embodies a fieria]. No. 97,677.

paper or other sheet fibrous material. dish having a circular flat imperi orate center or top wall 1, and an annular drawn skirt or flange 2, an annular part of which skirt forms and constitutes the securing portion 2 of: the cap skirt that carries or embodies a suitable hinder or plastic possessing the necessary characteristics to render the paper moldable and more or less soft when highly heated whereby the cap flange can then be molded against and to the head or mouth of the container covered by the cap, and capable of then setting to form securing the cap on and to the container head by reasonoi' the set molded portion of the cap flange diametrically contracted under an exterior shoulder of the container head;

The hood caps are made of any suitable flexible paper or fibrous material possessing the required strength and or the necessary grade or quality and thickness to meet trade requirements and particularly conditions encountered in distributing bottled milk. These caps are usually produced from sheet pulp board or paper by the use o'l drawing dies or punches.

The drawing dieor punch machine operates on the flat sheet paper or stool: which has usually been previously imprinted with the display matter to appear on the top or" each hood cap. The machine cuts fiat disks from the stock each usually bearing such display matter, and then draws or shapes such disks into approximate hood cap {UH-19] i. e. the central portion or top surrounded by a usually widely flaring annular flange or shirt. In drawing the disk to form the flaring flange or long skirt, the surplus sheet material in the flange is taken up by an annular series oi. similar longitudinal folds, tucks or creases, each preferably V-shaped in cross section.

Uur hood cap forming; or drawing machine, discharges, the hood caps in one or more long advancing columns made up of: similar hood caps more or less tightly nested. together with their flanges all projecting in the same direction and overlapping approximately throughout their lengths and usually with the creases or tucks of. the flanges fitting within the creases or tucks of adjacent flanges, and with the cap tops or centers parallel and almost contacting.

this, column. of nested flared dislrs or iii Ill

caps advances, we take successive lengths thereof, and apply the binder composition While in hot liquid condition, to the exterior surfaces of the disk flanges that are exposed at the exterior of such length or that form the circumferential portion of such length. Each such length is in the form of an approximately solid elongated block, or in the form of a cylinder if the caps are drawn from circular disks, and is composed of a n'iultiplieity of nested similar parallel liaring paper caps, any suitable number of such flared disks being included in such length, say from a few up to several hundred or mor The longitudinal circun'iferential surface of this block of closely nested flared disks, is formed by the exposed annular edge portions of the closely interfitting overlapping flaring portions or skirts of the disks,

and it is an object of this invention to simultaneously apply to all. of said flaring skirts of the block a su'llicient quantity of the binder that will set to cement all of the disks together and to form a saell, sheathing or coating a, of l'iinder covering and enclosing the longitudinal circumferential paper disk surface thereof, and furthermore to provide each disk, when subsequently separated from the block for application to a container, with sutficient binder to secure the cap on the containerhead, as herein set forth.

The liquid binder can be applied to the circumferential exterior surface of each .block or group of flared disks in any desirable manner or by any suitable means.

The liquid binder can be applied to the block of nested disks by spraying, submerging, drenching or otherwise to enable the disks of the block to take up or absorb the desired quantity of binder, and when the binder sets and cools to form the enclosing exterior shell or coating and prererably layers or deposits of binder between the flanges of the disks that make up the block. If so desired, the exposed side faces of the end disks, of the block can be protected from the liquid binder by caps or covers, before the block is subjected to the binder.

-The blocks of nested disks can be rolled through the liquid hinder. or can be otherwise carried through and completely submerged in the liquid bindeiu r-ahile the disks of each block are longitudinally held together to hold them nested to the desired extent.

Also the blocks of nested disks, can be held in vertical position and exteriorly drenched by descending columns of the liquid binder, wl'iether the blocks are arranged with the disk flanges extending upwardly or with their flanges depending. After the blocks have received the hot liquid binder, they are usually allowed to drain while subjected to a gradually decreasing high temperature, and then are allowed to cool, whereupon the binder quickly sets, and the block of hinder rarrying disks is ready for packing and shipment. 'lhcsc blocks of secured binder carrying disl-ts are prcparcd for sale to bottlers of milk and other products equipped with machinery for heating the blocks to a temperature above the softening or melting point; of the binder so that the disks can be siureesirel or one at: a time separated from the block. and while still hot and moldable, placed in proper position on the container head, so that an appropriate molding and clai'nping head an aunularly and diamctricall mold the hot skirt flange thereto and contract the same under the exterior shoulder of the container head and thus hold the same until the flange cools and sets to rigid cap securing form.

ll hen the block of nested disle-i is sub jected to the liquid binder treatment. the ca;- posed edge portion of the disks absorb and cxtcriorly take up a surplusagc of bindcr which thereafter quickly sets thereon to form the block coating or shell, and also liquid binder penetrates short distances into the block between the contacting surfaces of the disks and thereafter sets therein cementing together the side faces of the disks ucar the circumferential edges thereof. However, we lind that the air trapped h-eiwccu the disks serves to limit the penetration of the liquid binder into the block between the side surfaces of the disk and. thus prevent the presence of anundeslrable biudcrsurplu within the block.

ll e also tind that the quantity of liquid binder taken up by the disks can be controlled to some extent by the temperature of the disks when they are subjected to thc liquid binder bath. In other \YUitlf, by preheating the paper disks we increase the proportion or quantity of liquid binder taken up by the disks, and thus can shorten the time of exposure of the di-=ks to thc biudcr from 150 F. to 200" F. more or less. when subjected to the hot liquid binder bath, the disks will quickly absorb and carry thc to quired quautiti of binder for rwttiujr then-on and therein. The preheating operation presents hot paper dislo to the liquid biudcr and-enables the biudcr to more liilia'ltll' practrate the paper, and also cr-zpauds the air the block and incr ascs the possibility inflow of binder into the block between the disks.

We prefer to em 'iloy :2 11; rd high-melting point binder that is quick setting); or cooling with good water re 'ist'aut qualities. and is not objectionable for use on or in caps for capin of ping milk bottles, or in establislnuenhs for bottling milk and other food products. Ti e also use a binder that is an adhesive for tit) till

lllti paper but: that preferably will not form ohjectionable or fouling deposits on the surfaces of the containers and the securing heads.

Various binders are suitable for our purposes, whether or not such binders all fall within the n'ieaning of the term plastic. Various natu al and synthetic waxes, gums, resins, rosins, hardened metallic soaps, and compositions thereof can be utilized as a binder for our purposes. For instance, we have among others successively employed a binder composed of carnauba and other hard high melting point quick setting waxes, and various compositions of ros'ins, waxes and other substances.

It will be noted that eachfiared disk carries a ci'iating of hard binder at the surrounding or circiunferentia]. edge portion only, of its flaring flange, without regard to the impregnuin of hinder that may have entered into the body of the paper of the flange, and that this surrounding edge portion, constitutes the anular end portion of the cap flange thatis ultimately molded and contracted and that when set serves to secure the cap onthe container head. r

The binder coated block of nested caps, may carry a surplus of binder at the exterior surfaces of the edges of the caps, but during the heating process at the bottlers, preparatory tothe removal of the hot caps from the block one by one, while the binder is in effect liquefied so that the caps are not then cemented together, the binder is more or less uniformly distributed up and along the an nular edge portion of each cap flange, by

the time the hot cap is on the container head ready for molding and setting thereon.

The block of binder carrying flared disks not only protectsthe inner surfaces of the flared disks fromnmisture, vermin, dust, dirt, and contamination during packing, shipment and handling, but also constitutes a. most convenient and economical package for shipment and handling, as well as an article that can be most economically pro ducec, permitting the utilization of quantity production methods, avoiding the approximately prohibitive costs involved in separately handling each cap from the drawing machine to the container;

After theblocks of caps are separated from the columns fed from the cap forming and drawing macl'iino, the blocks of caps are sterilized by the preheating operation and again by the temperature during the liquid hinder bath, and after the binder has set to form, the exterior shell, the caps are protected from contact with the hands, cxcept the end caps. However, the caps are again subjected. to sterilizing temperature preparatory to application to the container heads.

well as the usual spacing between the disks of the stack. the stack may not completely overlap throughout their lengths.

It is evident that various departures and i ariations might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of our in vcntion and hence we do not wish to limit our invention to substantially the exact disclosures hereof.

What we claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a block composed of a stack of binder-carry ing paper or like .uiiatcrial caps for containers, and a binder material cementing said caps together aud coating the longitudinal surface of the block.

As a new article of inaniifacturc, a stack of binder-carrying nested flaring paper caps for containers and hinder material socuring said caps together to form a block.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a stack of nested paper material hood caps, and binder material cementing said caps to gethcr, whereby each cap at its flange portion carries a portion of binder.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a stack of binder-carrying paper material hood cap disks, provided. with an exterior coating of binder applied directly to said disks.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a block of nested paper material binder-carry-- :ing hood cap disks cemented together by the binder material of saiddisks, said material being located atthe outer edge portions of the disks and extending therehetween.

. 6. Several nested paper or like material flaring hood cap disks, and a hard. quicksetting binder cementing said disks together and approximately coating the exposed circumferential edge portions thereof, whereby said disks, when heated to liquefy the binder, can be separated one at a time for application and securing on container heads while hot and moldable.

7. A stack of nested flaring skirt flexible fibrous material hood caps for container heads, and a hard binder for each cap skirt, said binder cementing the caps logether and coating the circum'hu'ence of the stack.

8. As a new article of nmnufacturo, a multi-cap unit, the exterior circuinferential. surfaces of which embody and are rendered stiff by a binder substance or composition,

said unit consisting of a n'iultiplicity of nest ed fibrous material hood caps.

9. In the production of binder-carrying sheet fibrous-material hood cap disks, that step which consists in sub", .cting the circun Also the edges of the disks of ierential edge portion of the hood cap disk to a hot liquid binder bath while the disk is in a preheated condition.

10. In the production oi binder-carrying sheet fibrous-material flaring-skirt hood cap disks, those steps which consist in preheating the disks, then while hot subjecting the securing portions of the skirts to a bath of the binder while in a hot liquid condition, and then permitting the disks to cool and the binder to set on and in the securing portions of the skirts.

11. In the production of fibrous-material disks, for container hood capping purposes, that carry a hard quick-setting high melting point binder at their annular edge p0r tions, those steps which consist in subjecting the annular edge portion only of a highly heated disk to the binder while in hot liquid form, whereby the liquid binder is absorbed thereby and adheres thereto, and then permitting the binder to set to hard condition therein and thereon, by cooling.

12. in the production oi filn'ous-nniterial disks, for container hood capping purposes, that carry a hard high-melting point quick-- setting binder; those steps which consistin subjecting at least the annular securing portion of the disk while highly heated to a high-melting point quick-setting normallyhard binder while in hot liquid condition, whereby liquid binder is absorbed by and adheres to the disk, and then permitting the disk to cool and the binder carried thereby to set to hard condition.

13. in the production of fibrous-material hood cap disks carrying a hard high melting point quick-setting binder; those steps which coi in holding together a multiplicity of said disks in stack :torm and while thus held flooding at least the longitudinal circumferential surface of the stack to the normally-hard binder while in hot liquid form, whereby the liquid binder adheres to and approxin'iately covers said surface, and then permitting the liquid to cool and set to hard condition cementing the disks together and approximately coating said surface.

14. In the production of librous-nniterial hood cap disks carrying a binder; those steps which consist in assembling a multiplicity oi prcriouslydormed fibrous material hood cap disks in stack form; heating the stack of disks; flooding the longitudinal exterior of the hot stack that is made up of the exposed annular edge port-ions of the disks with hot liquid binder, whereby the liquid binder enters between the disks distances approximately controlled by the air trapped between the dis is; and cooling the stack and causing the binder within and on the longitudinal surface of the stack to set.

15. in the production of fibrous-material flaring-skirt hood cap disks carrying a binder, those steps which consist in closely nosiing a multiplicity of the liluous-nniterial flaring-skirt hood cap disks to form a stack; and cenienting said disks oi paid stack together into block form by a longitudinal coating of binder and layers of binder be tween the side faces of the annular edge portions of the disks.

16. Fibrous-imiterial raring-skirt hood cap disks carryii'ig a hard quiclvsclling binder, raid disks closely nested together in stack form, and a hard quiclvsettingr binder cementing said disl-Is together and arranged, between annular edge portions oi the disks and coating the lmigitudinal eurl'ace ol' the stack that is iioru'ied by the edge portions of the nested disks.

1?. As an article of niannt'actnrc. a stack of fibrous material bottle closure disks rcniented together and apprinsinialcly cirrinnferentially coated by a normally sci plastic material that permits separatitm o'l the caps one by one train the stack 'lor application to containers, when the stack is heated to soften the plastic material.

18. In the production cl :1 mullia-ap block, as an article of manufacture. those steps which consist in forming a stark oi separate paper material container closure disks, and then subjecting the stack as a unit to a bath o'l? plastic material liquclicd by heat that on setting apln'ouiniately coats the circumference of the stack and ccinz-nis together the disks.

19. As an article of manufacture. a multiplicity of paper hood cap disks. for hood capping bottles, grouped together to torm a stack and binder material set on the edge portions of the disks and securing together the disks of the stack, whereby the stack can be heated to ap 'n'oximatcly liqucty the binder and permit separation ol" d ifilm than from with each separated disk carrying binder for securing the same on a. bottle head.

20. In the production of binder carrying hood cap disks for capping containers. those steps which comprise applying the binder in liquid iliorm to the annular edge portions of a. multiplicity oi such disks assembled in stack form, and then permitting the binder carried by the stack to rot to secure the disks thereof top :ther and provide each disk with a supply o'l" binder 'l'or securing the same on a container head. when the disk has been separated troin the stack.

21. In the production and application of paper material hood caps caryinsr binder for securing the same on container heads. those steps which comprise securing together a stack of such hood caps by applying liquid binder to the stack in such quantity that each cap will carry binder "for securing the illl) llli Learner;

same; permitting the binder to set on the stack and caps whereby the stack can be thereafter handled as a unit; then treating said stack at the container hood capping sit nation to approximately liquefy the binder carried thereby; and While the stack is main V uid form to a multiplicity of paper material hood cap disks arranged in stack 'form to secure the disks together in such form and provide each disk with binder, on setting of the binder; and then heating said stack to and maintaining the same at a temperature that Will cause approximate fusing of'the binder and distribution thereoi to provide a supply of hot soit caps for removal from the stack one by one, each,

carrying binder for securing the same, and application to and molding on the container heads for holding thereon until set to securing condition.

In the production and application of paper material hood caps carrying a binder for securing the same on container heads by setting; those steps which consist in providing a multi-cap unit consisting of a multiplicity of paper material hood cap disks secured together in stack form by a binder set thereon and therein; then at the container hood capping situation heating said stack to approximately rinse the binder and cause distribution thereof among said disks; and separating the disks from said stack While approximately maintaining said temperature, and applying the hot disks, each carrying its own supply of binder, to the container heads and holding the same in securing position until set thereon to securing condition.

24. In the method of producing and applying binder-carrying paper material closure disks; those steps which comprise applying binder in liquid form to a multiplicity of such paper material closure disks to supply each disk With binder and permitting the binder to set on and in a multiplicity oi said disks assembled in stack form to secure the disks together for handling as a unit; subsequently reheating said unit to soften the binder and render the disks separable With each disk carrying binder for securing the same when set; and successively separating and removing the hot disks for application, from the supply of hot disks provided by said unit.

Sign-ed at Fulton, Oswego County, New York, this 17th day of March, 1.926.

WILBUR L. WRIGHT. LEE D. PIERCE. 

